The birth anniversary of Vikram Sarabhai is celebrated every year on August 12. Sarabhai is a popular name in the Indian space industry and is often called the 'father of the Indian space program'. He was the one who initiated India's space research and helped develop nuclear power in the country. He was an Indian physicist and astronomer born on August 12, 1919. Sarabhai is known for establishing the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). In 1962, he was given the charge of the Indian space agency and worked for a token salary of one rupee, given his wealth. As we celebrate Vikram Sarabhai's 104th birth anniversary this year, here's all you need to know about the man who founded the Indian Space Research Organisation. 6 Facts About the Father of Indian Space Programme.

Vikram Sarabhai Birth Anniversary 2023 Date

Vikram Sarabhai Birth Anniversary 2023 will be celebrated on August 12.

Who was Vikram Sarabhai?

Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai was born on August 12, 1919. He came from the famous Sarabhai family from India, who were prominent industrialists committed to the Indian independence movement. Sarabhai did his education at Gujarat College, Ahmedabad, and later moved to the University of Cambridge, England, where he took his tripos in natural sciences in 1940. He married the classical dancer Mrinalini in 1942 and had two children- Mallika and Kartikeya. He was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1966 and the Padma Vibhushan (posthumously) in 1972. Contribution Of The Father of India's Space Programme.

Sarabhai placed India on the international map for contributing to space research. According to historical records, Sarabhai was the one who convinced Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding the space program's importance in an emerging nation like India. Sarabhai died on December 30, 1971, due to cardiac arrest in Thiruvananthapuram at the age of 52. His body was cremated in Ahmedabad.

Sarabhai's interests varied from science to sports to statistics. He established the Operations Research Group (ORG), India's first market research organisation. He started a project for the fabrication and launch of an Indian satellite. As a result, the first Indian satellite, Aryabhata, was put in orbit in 1975 from a Russian cosmodrome. 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 12, 2023 08:40 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).